The Spontaneous Bandit’s Rage

I am the Pigeon Bandit.

I am devoid of emotion.

Yet, I possess a body prone to spontaneous combustion.

A faint glow from not far away illuminated the entire room. A group of villagers, herded like livestock, had been driven inside.

My boot rested on the Village Chief’s head. Slowly, I pulled a cigarette from my pocket.

With a snap of my fingers, a small flame sparked at my fingertip, lighting the tip of the cigarette. I took a deep drag, then lowered my head, exhaling a plume of smoke directly into the old man’s face.

“Tell me, where in this house have you hidden your wealth?”

“Then you must promise me this: after I tell you, you will spare the others!” The old man trembled beneath my foot.

‘Tsk, to think he’d try to bargain with me.’

“Fine.” I delivered a swift kick to his head, and instantly, a gush of blood erupted from the corner of his mouth. “Get up! Lead the way!”

“Cough, cough! Splat…” The old man, barely clinging to life, finally managed to stagger to his feet.

“Hurry!” I snapped my fingers again, and my entire right hand burst into flames.

The captive villagers recoiled in terror.

“What are you moving for?!” “Stay still!” My subordinates quickly moved to control them.

The old man glanced at his villagers, then stammered, “You… you must keep your word…”

“Keep my word? My reputation is impeccable. How could I possibly go back on it? Heh heh~”

“Upstairs, beneath the bed in my room, there’s a hidden compartment.”

“Search it!” I commanded my subordinates.

“Yes, boss!” Several of them immediately scrambled upstairs at my command.

‘Hah, they’re willing to risk their lives for money. How utterly predictable.’

I extinguished the ball of fire in my hand. Then, I took another deep drag from my cigarette.

I am far nobler than these grunts who sell their lives so cheaply. My purpose here wasn’t merely to plunder wealth.

No, I came to find someone specific.

“Hey, old man, if I recall correctly, isn’t there someone in your village known as the ‘Fallen Great Swordsman’?”

The old man froze at the question. Then, slowly, he uttered, “No…”

‘Lying.’

I pressed his face against the wall with one hand. I was still holding back; otherwise, the back of his head would have been a bloody mess.

“Say that again,” I said softly.

“N-no…” The old man choked out, battling the pain.

‘Stubborn.’

I grabbed his hair and slammed his head against the wall once more.

CRACK! The resounding thud startled even my subordinates, who visibly flinched.

“Oops, my hand slipped. Didn’t quite catch that. Say it again.” I chuckled coldly, watching the blood from his nose slowly trickle down my palm.

“I…” The old man gasped for air.

“Think carefully now. If you displease me, your entire village will be obliterated.”

He darted his eyes around. Then, he looked at his villagers once more.

“Helter… he left.”

‘Left?’

I glared at him fiercely. “What?!”

“He left. He departed two days ago…”

“Where did he go?!” My fingers dug into his sallow face, flames flickering from my fingertips, threatening to scorch him black.

“He went on an adventure with the Hero! I don’t know where they went!” The old man shrieked in agony.

‘What?! What?! Am I too late?!’

I flung the old man heavily to the ground. Then, I kicked him several times with all my might.

“Damn it! This infuriates me!”

As soon as the words left my lips, my head began to spontaneously combust.

“Boss, please calm your anger…” A subordinate ventured cautiously.

“Calm my anger?! How can I possibly calm down?!”

“Ah! My apologies…” The subordinate, terrified, immediately dropped to his knees.

“Six years! Almost six years! Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for this moment?!

I finally tracked down that beast’s dwelling, only for him to simply vanish without a trace! My escape from prison was for nothing! Stealing the Fire Dragon Cannon was for nothing! Do you understand?!”

I conjured a ball of fire and pressed it against his head.

“No, no! Boss, I understand, I was wrong! Truly! Truly! Ahhhhhh!”

In an instant, the living man was consumed by my flames, incinerated from head to toe. In less than a minute, he was reduced to a charred, reeking corpse!

“Ah…” “This…” “Why would you…” My subordinates exchanged terrified whispers.

“Silence! I am a powder keg of rage right now! Do you want to be burned too?!”

My roar echoed throughout the house.

Indeed, silence fell.

I patted my hair. Only then did the flames on my head extinguish. Troubled, I slumped into a chair and lit another cigarette.

‘Damn it, I burned the last one to a crisp.’ I rummaged through my pocket for another.

‘What now? My revenge! My brother! I’ve failed you…’

As I sat there, propping my forehead, utterly at a loss.

“Boss!” The subordinate captain, wearing a black hat, burst in.

“What now?!”

“There are two people at the village entrance, shouting curses!”

“Annoying! Kill them! There are dozens of men outside; can’t you handle such a simple task yourselves?!” I roared.

“But… no one dares approach them… That swordsman is wielding a greatsword with one hand, cutting down our men one by one. Nearly twenty are dead already!”

“What?!” I was stunned. “Then charge them all at once! Don’t go in one by one! If that fails, use poisoned arrows!”

“Understood!” The captain acknowledged and rushed out.

‘Damn it, two formidable opponents appear now?’

‘Wait…’

A swordsman, wielding a greatsword with one hand… My hands began to tremble. The cigarette butt dropped from my mouth.

“Where are those two?!”

I threw open the door and roared at the subordinate captain.

“Huh? Th-they’re just ahead, not far…”

‘If my suspicions are correct.’

“Yaaah!!!” I bolted, sprinting in the direction he pointed.

“Boss, what are you doing?! There’s no need for you to go personally!”

“Stop talking nonsense! Your job now is to command the men inside! Don’t let those villagers escape before we secure the treasure!”

“Yes, boss!”

‘If I’m not mistaken! That swordsman! That swordsman!’

My eyes widened. As I ran, even my legs began to ignite with flames!

That swordsman was the one I sought, my brother’s sworn enemy—Wolfer Helter!!!!!